Imposter Flint Edge?

F

FLINT77

Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
838
I saw these listings just now and am suspicious of them.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ke...860253?hash=item2aeaad6b9d:g:9L4AAOSwb65e40U1
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ke...843474?hash=item2aeaad2a12:g:fYUAAOSw7Rle40Bn

Here are the reasons:

Strange, super faint stamp - especially considering it is supposed to be NOS
Unusual geometry for a Flint edge Jersey - the length to width is wrong, and the poll strangly tapered and narrow - Kelly Jerseys are NOT like that.
THe cheeks are FLAT

THere are two options that I see:

1.) this is a head made by BARCO, as they bought the rights to the kelly name (in the 80s I think?) I actually own a barco kelly perfect, but the stamp is different. The stamp on my axe also says USA and wear safety goggles while this one does not. Also, the dimensions on my Barco kelly perfect are still mostly correct. These axes have a very un-kelly like shape. I've got many flint edge axes and other kelly jerseys, and this just isn't one.

or

This is a new or newish head made by some other manufacturer that someone etched true temper Flint edge into.

Actually, the more I look at them, the less I think they are Barco axes. Weird.

what do you guys think?
 
Something is definitely wrong.

First thing I notice is that the " stamp " is too fine and pencil thin.
Everything I've seen the font on TT axes is never this fine.

I know these are not collectable vintage flint edge axe heads, and as far as I know BARCO does not have rights to the True Temper name.
Only the Kelly name.

Maybe something put out by Ames in the past 10 years ?
 
#1
Unusual, narrowing poll reminds me of India made P0S Collins axes
https://bladeforums.com/threads/usa-made-collins-commander.1689564/
s-l1600.jpg

vintage-collins-commander-single-bit_1_655ac0992987592fe19ec52d3483ba50.jpg



#2
It ships from China!!
 
Hickory n steel said:
Something is definitely wrong.

First thing I notice is that the " stamp " is too fine and pencil thin.
Everything I've seen the font on TT axes is never this fine.

I know these are not collectable vintage flint edge axe heads, and as far as I know BARCO does not have rights to the True Temper name.
Only the Kelly name.

Maybe something put out by Ames in the past 10 years ?
Click to expand...

Good point about Barco only having rights to Kelly and not True Temper - I think that rules it out as a recentish Barco axe.

Also agree with C crbnSteeladdict that they are likely foreign made.

the other thing I noticed is that whoever put up the measurements must not be familiar with the Imperial system as the cutting edge length indicated is clearly not correct.

Hope nobody pays too much for them.
 
Uh, yeah. I have seen some nice TT vintage tools and the sanding/grinding was not so uniform, they polished at least some of the tool. The seller is in China too. I don't know that there was a big American axe export business to that country back in the day. Might be someone playing around with some fancy cnc engravers on a crap axe, or a 3D printer.
 
VintageAxe said:
Uh, yeah. I have seen some nice TT vintage tools and the sanding/grinding was not so uniform, they polished at least some of the tool. The seller is in China too. I don't know that there was a big American axe export business to that country back in the day. Might be someone playing around with some fancy cnc engravers on a crap axe, or a 3D printer.
Click to expand...
This seller has history of selling counterfeit items
https://www.ebay.com/fdbk/feedback_...eedback_page:All&_trksid=p2545226.m2531.l4585
 
Yep. I saw those on flea-bay as well. Anything made in Chiner is suspect - clearly a forgery. Flea-bay has known about Chinese knockoffs for years, but apparently is uninterested in doing anything about it. These forgeries are a real problem and people are getting ripped-off. From counterfeit Chris Reeves knifes to fake Leupold scopes - and now old axe heads - pretty much anything that ships from China is counterfeit. I never knowingly purchase anything made in China unless I absolutely have to and there is no other alternative.
 
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